


In The Shadow of Iacon

by turquoisedragon513



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Like half the background charcaters are my ocs lmao, Mechpreg, Megatron is dead, Multi, and soundwave has a baby, frensy and buzzsaw are also dead because i'm terrible, orion also has babies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2019-01-22 03:24:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12472388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turquoisedragon513/pseuds/turquoisedragon513
Summary: (TFP AU with some tiny little hints of IDW)When a sparkling is born in the dark pits of Kaon, it's reach extends to the far city of Iacon. Now in a lighter place, are Soundwave and his newfound family really safe...





	1. Daybreak

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HiddenDirector](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenDirector/gifts).



> This is dedicated to HiddenDirector, because their fic made me get off my butt and actually finish the first two chapter of this. The idea for this fic was eating at my brain for a good month and I could not be free until I wrote it.

As the final wave of pain subsided at long last, LAserbeak started whining.  
‘Soundwave, you need to get up, or they will die!’ 

They would die. Which meant they were alive. He heaved himself forward, servos searching the darkness for his offspring, when he felt cool, wet metal and felt a tiny field pulsing weakly at him. Pulling the mostly still frame of the sparkling to his chassis, he felt them move, tiny clawed servos going up and down his chassis. A tiny mewl sounded out, and he opened up, praying that they would eat. The sparkling grabbed onto the energon line, eating slowly, but readily. It's field suddenly flared outwards, and he gently reached out as well. They… no. She was scared, confused, and cold. She was asking where he was.

“Your sire: is not here. Hopefully: will come soon.”  
That's all he could do. Hope, that her sire could feel her, and would come to them. There was no way this sparkling could survive in the Pits..  
-*-  
Shockwave lurched up, his spark twisting suddenly as something cried out. From across the room, the Kalisian representative, Gouge, looked over from his argument with Ratbat. The blue and white mech stood up, waving a hand as Gouge’s assistant Wiresnap started over.

“I’m fine. Just… remembered something I needed to do.”  
He went to his office and immediately searched up a medic who knew about sparkbonds. The best one he found was from Praxus, but was visiting Iacon on professional business. Contacting her had been easy, she had a special number for creators and others who needed assistance.

“This is Starshadow?”

“Ah..hello. I..I need to speak with you. When are you available?”  
-*-  
The sparkling was weak, but alive. Soundwave had done his best to keep her safe and hidden, even leaving his symbiotes with her when he was needed in the arena. He’d fought harder than ever before, knowing that she existed. When he got back, she was leaning against Ravage, weakly murmuring at Rumble, who kept making noises back.  
“Soundwave: Returned.”

Instantly, the sparkling’s optics opened, and she warbled inquisitively, grabbing onto the edges of his mask when he picked her up. She was a dinobot, like her grandsire, although she also showed signs of the early stages of a grounder's kibble. A triple changer. Megatronus would have found that hilarious. One of the Senate's most prized forms of Cybertronian born to a Kaonite pit dweller. Soundwave missed his old friend, who had given his life covering for him, allowing his sparkling to live. The little Archivist, Orion Pax, had given Soundwave his condolences. Orion had been sparked. Soundwave wondered how he was doing. The sparklings trills brought him back to reality, as she smacked his chassis, looking up at him expectantly.

“Fuel: is coming.”  
-*-  
Starshadow was a dinobot. Unlike other dinobots who were high up in their fields, she wasn't stuck up, and she had a bodyguard. Who was also, apparently, her twin brother. She'd chased him out of the room almost immediately.

“I didn't expect to be talking to a senator. Knowing Gouge, I'd expected he'd gotten someone sparked up, honestly.”

Shockwave chuckled, which made the smaller bot jump.

“You don't have to be so tense.”

“Ah, Praxian instinct. Always on alert, never know when something's going to happen.”

She mumbled, then straightened up.

“So. You said you think a sparkbond had formed?”  
He nodded, and Star made a slow whistling noise.

“Have you interfaced with any partners in the last 10 vorns? I need to know, and nothing will get out. Medical confidentiality.”

She placed a servo over her spark, and Shockwave sighed.

“About 9 vorns ago. A… A gladiator in Kaon.”

She blinked at that, but didn't have any visible negative reaction.

“You seem… okay with that.”

“My brother, who is a registered Praxian enforcer, had a fling with a Tarnish gladiator. I was born in gladiator pits. It's not a big deal.”

“Oh.”

Looking at the petite frame before him, he never would have guessed she was pitborn. “Anyway, that leaves enough time for a sparkling to gestate. What you're feeling may very well be a Sire bond. If I were you, I'd find that gladiator, and if he does have a sparkling, get him out of the pits as soon as you can.”

“Why?”

“Because if the owners of whatever arena he's in find out about it, they will kill it. Trust me.”  
-*-  
Soundwave stumbled as the orderly shoved him down into one of the empty rooms across from the main growing area. The sparkling was curled in a space between his backstruts and Ravage, he'd felt the urge to bring her, and now, he knew why. Standing there, slightly darkened by soot and ash, was him. The Senator had a savage looking Utahraptor bodyguard standing next to him, but his optics were locked on Soundwave.

“I want to speak with him alone.”

The orderly bristled, but the Utahraptor just stepped close to the other bot, grinning savagely.

“It wasn't a request, mate.”

Instantly, the orderly backed down, shuffling out of the room, followed by the raptor, who winked at the Senator.  
“Thank you Quickdraw.”

Instantly, the green, blue and white bot relaxed, offering a servo so that Soundwave could pull himself up.

“I… I felt it. Is there really…”

Ravage deployed instantly, padding around holding the sparkling by the scruff bar that most beastchangers had as younglings. She instantly perked up, warbling at the new figure.

“Senator: sparkling is yours.”

“Just call me Shockwave.”

He leaned down, and remarkably, Ravage allowed him to take the little femme without protest. The sparkling instantly lit up, realizing who this was.

“I… I'm sorry. She would have never been born here.”

“Soundwave: did not know until very late. Sparkling: doing remarkably well.”

Shockwave ram a digit along her backstruts, wiping off dirt and soot to reveal the dark purple plating underneath.

“I… I already paid the pit master. You're coming back to Iacon.”

Soundwave was surprised by that. If Megatronus had been alive, then he would have stayed. But now? Staying here would only lead to losing the rest of his symbiotes, and his sparkling. Just like he'd lost Frenzy and Buzzsaw.

“Soundwave: will come.”  
-*-


	2. Morning Glory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's actually impressive that I wrote all of this on my phone. I'm going to go through it on a computer and smooth it out, but have a chapter.
> 
>  
> 
> The thing about revolutions is, even if someone fails, there's always a likeminded individual who is willing to take their chance and rise up.

-*-

Quickdraw had left the pair alone as soon as they got back on the shuttle, choosing to go back to the cabin with the rest of his pack.  
“The three of them… I found each one for sale in slave markets. They're already expecting eggs. Raptors work fast.”  
Soundwave had seen the largest, another Utahraptor named Scissorclaw, with a swollen middle. The sparkling had instantly gotten worked up by other dinobots, but Soundwave had kept her close to his chest, so she couldn't squirm away.  
“Raptors: loyal. Progeny within pack: expected.”  
“Yes.”  
Shockwave ram a servo over the sparkling’s helm, frowning at the streaks of grime left.  
“Once we get back we should get her cleaned up. Does she have a designation yet?”  
“Kaonite sparklings: Receive name at 100th solar cycle. Tradition: Kept with symbiotes.”  
“Hm.”  
The sparkling, realizing she had the ability to smear ash everywhere, had taken her servos to her sire’s arm, leaving sloppy markings up and down it. Soundwave chuckled.

-*-

Shockwave's suite as larger than some of the arenas Soundwave had seen. Although the sparkling had seemed less interested in the size and more in the smaller quarters the raptor pack lived in, but a strong grip from her carrier kept her from wiggling off.  
“You can clean her off if you want. Washrack is just over there. I need to call someone. “  
Shockwave had gestured at one of the doors, and the prospect of seeing his own plating, and his offsprings, had been a welcome thought. The washroom was larger than Soundwave’s cell back in the pits, and Laserbeak instantly fidgeted. Soundwave took no time figuring out how to fill the tub with solvent, having set the sparkling down with Ravage and Rumble watching her. He put his servo in, watching the dark purple appear from under the soot. Picking up the sparkling and placing her in, he turned his back for a mere moment before Rumble and Ravage were in there with her.  
“Someone needs ta watch her.”  
Rumble said defensively, but Ravage spared no mere pleasures.  
“I haven't been clean in vorns.”  
The catbot ran her glossa over the sparkling’s helm, then stick her snout in the solvent. Soundwave snorted, picking up a rag and wiping the tiny frame off before giving Rumble one of his own. Ravage was already grooming herself, so had no need of any help, but the sparkling fussed when she was cleaned. Soundwave noticed small blue biolights on her knees and neck, as well as her middle, that had been covered in ash and too weak to shown through. Rumble was already clean, having finished a while ago, as had Ravage. Laserbeak had taken up residence in the sink, cleaning herself thoroughly. Both of the larger symbiotes climbed out, taking the sparkling with them.  
“Give yourself some relaxation, Soundwave. You need it.”  
Ravage said through a intake-full of squirming sparkling. Soundwave, for once, would heed her advice.

-*-

Starshadow had been thrilled that Shockwave had been able to find his partner and sparkling, and had promised to come over and check on her and Soundwave, as well as the raptors, free of charge. Shockwave had finished up the call and went out to get some energon ready, only to find a cougaraider and a small mech on his couch, with his daughter between them.  
“You must be Shockwave. I am Ravage.”  
The feline said, nodding.  
“Names Rumble.”  
The sparkling whirred happily.  
“Soundwave’s symbiotes, I presume?”  
“Yep.”  
Rumble said, poking the sparkling on one of her now visible biolights. She squealed.  
“She seems healthy enough.”  
“Soundwave put all his energy towards caring for her. He was basically starving himself.”  
Ravage gabe the sparkling a quick lick, earning a squeal and the bitlet grabbing her audial. The cougaraider only pushed her away with a paw.  
“You can hold her if you'd like. She always acts better for Soundwave than us.”  
Shockwave as hesitant, but as soon as he put his servo down, the sparkling latched on, cooing. When he brought her up to his chassis, she instantly leaned close to his spark chamber, making a few happy grilling sounds.  
“Speaking of sparklings…”  
Ravage spoke up, tail tip flicking.  
“Orion Pax. He was sparked. Do you know what happened to him?”  
“Yes. Alpha Trion brought him in one day. I remember because Ratbat got angry and Gouge tried to rip his head off. Twins, Turquoise and Teal.”  
Twins. The two were spunky, and Alpha Trion seemed to always have an eye on Turquoise, who was always trying to get into trouble.  
“Megatronus would have liked those names.”

-*- 

(Ravage POV)

Megatronus had twin sparklings. Ravage wondered if they would grow to be as ambitious as their sire. The last time Ravage had seen twins, it had been Rumble and Frenzy.  
“Megatronus would have liked those names.”  
She said simply, audials going back.

-*-

Soundwave walked out with Laserbeak on his shoulder, and he was instantly drawn in by the sight of Shockwave sitting with the sparkling on his chassis, Ravage and Rumble on either side.  
“Shockwave: bonding with symbiotes?”  
“I suppose you could say that.”  
The Senator looked over, smiling softly. Ravage looked up as well, audials flicking.  
“We have to go to the Senate building. To get you registered as a free mech.”  
Soundwave winced. The Senate had been the ones to have Megatron weakened before that fight, the reason his friend was dead.  
“Orion Pax will be there. And Gouge wants to give us his blessing.”  
Shockwave seemed exasperated by that. Gouge, a Ceratosaurus, was Kalis’ most famous former gladiator, the fact he had risen to be its leader was impressive.  
“Gouge: expresses interest?”  
“Gouge expresses interest in whatever pisses off Ratbat. And trust me, he's been smuggling out dinobots from Kaon for longer than he had a name.”  
So that was what kind of mech Gouge was. A rulebreaker.

-*-

“Already got that pachy spunk. Look at that.”  
Wiresnap snorted, Shockwave was glad that the dragonformer had proven he was gentle, or otherwise the black and yellow mech would not be holding the sparkling. Gouge as standing to the side, having wished Soundwave and Scissorclaw the best.  
“By any chance, do you know where Orion is?”  
Shockwave’s question seemed to catch Wiresnap offguard.  
“He was in the registry last I saw him.”  
Shockwave nodded, but before he could leave, Wire grabbed his arm.  
“Sentinel is getting pushy. Gouge wants him out of power, Shockwave. If the council pushes for a new Prime…”  
“Then you want it to be Orion.”  
“The crystals spoke to Isla. It's Primus’ wish.”  
A deep voice said from behind him. Gouge walked around grabbing Wiresnap’s servo.  
“Go find Orion. Best wishes to you and your progeny, Shockwave. May Galxia bless her path.”  
Shockwave nodded, walking towards Soundwave with their sparkling in his arms.  
“Query: what was Wiresnap…”  
“The one of Kalisian’s sacred Primes spoke to someone. They want a new Prime.”  
Soundwave didn't question it.  
“Orion Pax: Is in registry.”  
The Senator nodded, and pushed open the door to the Archives. As to be expected, there was Orion, Teal strapped to his back. He was speaking to a registry mech named Feedback, who smiled and pointed behind the little red and blue mech. Orion turned, gasping at the sight if not only a Senator, but also at Soundwave.  
“Senator! Soundwave!”  
“Hello Orion. I hope you're well. And hello Turquoise.”  
The sparkling looked at him suspiciously.  
“Orion Pax: Is well.”  
“Soundwave… I … heard about Megatronus. I wish he could have been there when these two arrived.”  
Turquoise blew a raspberry, frowning.  
“But… I heard about this little one.”  
Soundwave’s sparkling didn't have a harness to keep her attached to her carrier, and was now halfway out of his arms.  
“Sparkling: is healthy.”  
“That's good.”  
“So, You're here for a registration for political insinuated freedom, right?”  
Feedback spoke up, and Shockwave nodded.  
“Alrighty then.”


	3. Dawnbreaker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Me: I want more beastchagers  
> Canon: Well beastchangers weren't co...  
> Me: MORE BEASTCHANGERS.
> 
> And that is how my Kalis was born.

It was official now. Soundwave was a free mech. The sparkling, now on her 97th solar cycle of life, was now able to rise to great heights in society. Ravage and the others were also free, but Rumble was sullen that Frenzy couldn't be too. Laserbeak had been a newspark when her sibling had died, Buzzsaw had hardly lived. Now, as he lay on a berth, looking at his sparkling sleep next to him, he wondered how this could be real. Even with Megatronus gone, he had her, almost the same as his long offlined grandsire.  
“The other Senators will expect us to bond.”  
Shockwave said from the other side of the berth.   
“They're already angry.”  
“Senate:Can stuff it up their afts.”  
Rumble guffawed.   
“Someone assassinated Sentinel Prime. Out in Polyhex. We think it was one of Gouge’s old friends.”  
Shockwave rolled over, and Soundwave turned to look at him.  
“They want Orion to be the next Prime.”  
“Orion: Has sparklings.”  
“So did Thunderseeker Prime.”  
The Prime before Sentinel had been a Seeker, and the Sire of a sparkling herself.   
“Thunderseeker: Was a sire. Orion: is carrier.”  
“I can't change their minds. If Orion does become Prime… it will change everything.”  
Shockwave exvented.  
“An exploration team found the matrix.”

-*-

It was time. The sparkling had reached her 100th solar cycle, and as so would be given her designation. The only Temple to Onyx Prime as also to Galxia Prime, it seemed the Iaconians thought they could bunch the two together. It made Soundwave’s day easier. Luckily, the templemechs were beastchangers, so it went unhindered.   
“Do you know the designation you wish this little one to be called?”  
The Saltasaurus said, and Soundwave nodded. Shockwave was stock still, terrified by the Giganotosaurus next to him.  
“Sparkling: will be called Railmotor. In honor of Grandsire: Railcrusher.”  
The sauropod smiled, dipping a digit in the metal infused oil between the statues of the Primes, and writing the designation on the sparkling’s helm. The newly named Railmotor squirmed, not liking the cold feeling on her plating. As soon as the high priest finished, the dinobots in the temple roared, or their equivalent of it. The room was filled with the thundering roars of the Giga, the trumpet of Starshadow and her brother, who had arrived shortly before, and the bellow of a Apatosaurus and Triceratops who had accompanied the two. Ravage joined in with a yowl, and Shockwave as attempting not to faint.

-*-  
Scissorsaw had laid his clutch the day before, so Starshadow had checked over the four eggs first. After giving them a clean bill of health, she moved onto Rail and Soundwave.  
“Mmmm. And another reason I hate orderlies.”  
She grumbled, closing Soundwave’s medical port.  
“No internal damage, just external strain. Keep the sparkling on artificially created sparkling grade, give your body time to recover. The symbiotes should heal themselves, but you do have a couple viruses, so no interfacing until those are gone.”  
She said, wiping her servos off. Shockwave sighed.  
“Thank you Starshadow.”  
“It's no problem. I'm staying in Iacon on an apprenticeship for a bit, so call if you need me.”  
The little medic smiled, and from near the door, her brother and two escorts looked up.  
“Yes you idiots, it's time to go.”  
As the four left the apartment, the Parasauropholus cast one last smile back at the pair.

-*-

When Shockwave arrived at the place that Gouge had messaged him, he was surprised to see a young dragonchanger there as well. Her golden plating was accented with turquoise blue and purple, giving her a gilded and jeweled appearance.  
“Senator. This is Cannonblitz.”  
“A big name for someone so young.”  
Her blue optics looked away slightly, and she shrugged.  
“She caught up with me. You can find your way back, right?”  
“Yeah.”  
Gouge nodded as the younger beastchanger padded away, before turning to Shockwave.   
“She's from Polyhex. The entire clan she was living with got wiped out. Only survivor.”  
So that was the look in her eyes. The pain of knowing she still lived while her friends and possibly family were dead.  
“Why did you…”  
“It's about… Kaon. Megatronus was gonna take it over. I could tell. Now it's just a pile of unrest and agitation.”  
The dinobot turned, revealing the single horn from his altmode on his scarred back.  
“If I were you, I'd be making sure whoever rises to power next isn't your enemy.”  
-*-  
Rumors were running rampant of uprisings in Kaon tearing apart smaller gladiator rings and killing authority figures. Three enforcers had been killed so far, each left in spots where their comrades would find them but the public would not. Soundwave had seen images, and recognised the killing style almost instantly.  
“Killers: are Predacons. Victims: were involved in Megatronus’ defeat.”  
Shockwave looked up from the case file, glancing over at the notes his partner had made on the image captures. There were long deep claw marks that could have been mistaken for sword slashes, but several smaller wounds near the helm were of unknown origin.  
“That doesn't explain the wounds near the helm.”  
“Lightning bolts: preferred weapon of a young gladiator. Bluebolt: has been missing for vorns.”  
Shockwave had heard of Bluebolt. A while ago a notice had went out warning any bots travelling to Kaon to report seeing her immediately. He'd seen the very few clear images of her, a sleek pale blue Predacon with long silver horns and spines. After Megatronus’ death, she and most of his followers had vanished, although a series if killings outside Kaon had been tracked back to an illegal cybergenetics lab, and one of its escaped subjects, who had vanished from enforcers into Kaon’s complex tunnel systems. Before now, Shockwave had no reason to connect the former gladiators and the escaped test subject. But Soundwave had informed him in very goret detail of Predacon packs and their holding of territories, and now he knew what exactly he was up against.  
-*-

Deep in Kaon's underbelly, darkness gave way under the soft glow of red optics. Several orange pairs had been lurking behind them, but they had vanished as another set of red appeared.  
“You've been too careless. They're gonna know.”  
“I'm planning on them knowing. Fear is a powerful thing my friend. And after all…”  
Under the red glow, the soft and terrifying dance of electricity among unseen fangs flickered. Two pairs of orange optics flickered back to life, one producing an eerie blue glow in its maw and the other simply letting flames lap at the darkness, softly illuminating orange plating.  
“Fear is what Kaon is built on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you didn't guess already Starshadow, Gouge, little Railmotor, and some background characters like Feedback, Scissorsaw and Wiresnap are my OCs. Other than the ones who aren't OUTSTANDINGLY CANON the rest will either be dug up from the very depths of IDW or my OC pit.
> 
> also i can't not put ironhide/ratchet in here so it comin in too and a background pairing hahahahha


End file.
